See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/312919514

Cool mornings can control plant height

Article · January 1989

CITATIONS READS

20 123

6 authors, including:

John E. Erwin Royal Heins

University of Maryland, College Park Michigan State University
173 PUBLICATIONS   1,886 CITATIONS    209 PUBLICATIONS   3,375 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Robert Berghage John Biernbaum

Pennsylvania State University Michigan State University
69 PUBLICATIONS   1,270 CITATIONS    66 PUBLICATIONS   1,052 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Identifying input requirements for edible crops grown in controlled environments to maximize yield and nutritive value. View project

Environmental Physiology of Flowering View project

All content following this page was uploaded by John E. Erwin on 13 January 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Cool mornings can control
plant height
by John E. Erwin, Royal D. Heins, Robert Berghage,
Brian J. Kovanda, William H. Carlson and John Biernbaum

esearch at Michigan State Uni- Light-to-dark transitions ing, producing a gradual temperature

R versity during the past four

'ears has developed new con-
cepts for plant height control using tern-
perature. Intially, research showed inter-
node length increased as day tempera-
ture (DT) increased or night tempera-
ture (NT) decreased.
Later, a totally new concept was dis-
covered: internode length is primarily
controlled by the difference (DIF) be-
tween day and night temperature (DIF
equals DT minus NT) and not absolute
temperature (See Figure 1). Poinsettias
and campanula also show a small re-
sponse to average temperature.
are key height control points
Response to DIE is also affected by
how quickly temperature changes rela-
tive to change from light to dark. We
noticed this first when some growers
observed a greater response to a nega-
tive DIF than others.
Growers who observed a large re-
sponse were ones who opened their
thermal blankets abruptly in the morn-
ing. Temperatures plunged rapidly
from the night temperature to the
cooler day temperature. Those who ob-
served a smaller response were open-
ing their blankets gradually in the morn-
decline over a one- to two-hour period.
We suspected the first two hours of
the morning (light) were especially im-
portant in influencing a plant's re-
sponse to DIF. To test this, Easter lilies
were grown with either a 68-degree F
(20 degrees C) or a 54-degree F (12 de-
grees C) temperature during the day
and 63 degrees F during the night (see
Figure 2). The 54-degree F day tempera-
ture plants were significantly shorter
due to negative DIF, as expected.
Two other groups of plants received
either 54 degrees F for only the first
two hours of the day or the last seven
hours of the day. The exciting results
of this experiment showed that stem
elongation was reduced almost as
much as by cooling the first two hours
of the day as by cooiing all day.

Can't keep cool days? Try

cool mornings for height control
Preliminary grower observations also
show that an abrupt increase in tem-
perature at sunrise increases stem elon-
gation. Therefore, to get the largest
plant height response using the DIF con-
cept, change temperature simultane-
ously with the change from dark to
light and as quickly as possible.
These results are esoecially exciting
since they may allow some height con-
trol using DIF under conditions where
day temperature cannot be maintained
below night temperature all day long,
fo example, during the spring and for
growers in the South.
While we do expect a benefit from
a drop in temperature at sunrise, it is
Appearance of Easter lily plants 37 days after :tart of temperature treatments. All plant: .were also important to controi day tempera-
grown with 68 degree F (20 degree C) night temperature (NT). The plant on the left was grown tures as much as possible throughout
with zero OIF (same day temperature, OT and NT). The plant on the far right was grown with a the day for maximum response to the
OIF of minus 14 degrees F. The middle two plants had two day temperatures, one far the fiat early morning temperature dip. Previ-
two hours of the day and one for the second seven hours. The plant on the middle left had a zero ous research shows that high tempera-
OIF for the first two hours and a minus 14 degrees F OIF for the second seven hours. The plant
tures during the afternoon can also in-
an the middle right had a OIF of minus 14 degree: F for the first two hours and a zero OIF !or the
second seven hours. crease stem elongation.

fps, ir'j /9,19 ) V-OLD ?p. 3 4-i

V
30
26-
Plant Height (inches )
22-
18-
14-
I - !
-40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30
Difference Between Day And Night Temperature (T)
Two cool hours and warmer day
means faster plant development
Also, the two-hour temperature dip
at sunrise allows growers to maintain
a higher 24-hour average crop tempera-
ture. Since plant development rate in-
creases as average temperature in-
creases, a negative DEF for only the first
two hours allows fast crop develop-
ment rate while still maintaining some
height control.
This may be particularly important
for this year's Easter lily crop since
Easter is so early. A high rate of leaf
unfolding will be essential. A day tern-
View publication stats
Figure 1. Relationship be-
tween Easter lily plant height
at flower and the difference be-
tween day and night tempera-
ture (OW) that plants were
grown under. Intemodes
shorten as OW decreases
from a positive number to a
negative number. Therefore.
plants grown at different day
and night temperatures may
be the same height at matur-
ity as long as their DIFs are
the same.
I ' I • I
40
perature cool enough to provide com-
plete control of height may slow de-
velopment rate undesirably.
A cool temperature pulse first thing
in the morning will alow some height
control, but will not reduce average
daily temperature so much as a con-
tinuous, cool day.
))
John Erwin, Robert Berghage and Brian Rotunda.
graduate students, and Royal Heins, associateprofessor,
William Carlson, professor, and John Bierntuum,
assistant professor, are in the Department of
Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing.